Round 2 of the Junior A to F Championship took place over the weekend of the 6-8th August and, with this year’s format, all teams were guaranteed at least two championship matches.
JJ Kavanagh & Sons Junior B Hurling Championship
Tullogher Rosbercon 0-10 Conahy Shamrocks 1-13
One week on from their narrow one-point loss to neighbours St. Lachtain’s, the Conahy Shamrocks Junior B hurlers made the long trip to Tullogher on Sat. 7th August and scored a deserved six-point win over the home side to qualify for the championship quarter-finals. The teams scored four points each during the opening quarter which was indicative of the closeness of the exchanges. Conahy were first to raise a white flag when Thomas Rice pointed with Tullogher Rosbercon levelling the game two minutes later through Frank Murphy.
With the breeze blowing across the pitch neither side could claim an advantage from the elements. Conahy were making a little better use of the possession that came their way and midway through the first quarter the visitors led 0-4 to 0-2 with Mark Gunner, Bill Murphy and Sean Brennan finding the range. Tullogher hit a purple patch close to the first water-break with David Walsh and Frank Murphy pointing to tie the game. Conahy almost got through for a goal just before the water-break, but an attacker was correctly penalised for catching the ball three times. Conahy bossed the second quarter but squandered a brace of possible goal-scoring chances. This was a key time in the game as Conahy then hit five points without reply to lead 0-9 to 0-4. The visitors work rate was key during this period of the game as the home side struggled for possession. Tullogher grabbed a point before the interval from Simon Kennedy to leave Conahy Shamrocks ahead 0-9 to 0-5.
The key score of the game came in the eight minute of the second half when the hard-working Conahy captain Gary Dunne laid off a neat pass to the onrushing Bill Murphy who finished impressively. Another point from Thomas Rice had Conahy ahead 1-11 to 0-6 and well in control of the game nine minutes into the second half. The next ten minutes saw Tullogher play their best hurling of the game scoring four points without replay through Brian Walsh, Peter Meggs, sub James Murphy and Richie Aylward. They missed a couple of further scoreable chances also as Conahy began to struggle. The visitors improved as the game entered the closing stages with the defence particularly impressive. A brace of pointed frees from Mark Gunner saw the momentum swing back in Conahy’s direction, but they still had to ensure a couple of anxious moments. The home side needed a goal from a close-in free on the call of full-time but a tamely struck shot was well saved by the Conahy defence and cleared. Three minutes into added time Brian Walsh pointed a Tullogher free, but by that stage Conahy Shamrocks had secured a well-deserved win in a fine overall team performance.
Conahy Shamrocks: Karl Downey; John Paul Gamble; Paraic Gunner; Ciaran Rice; Eoin Carroll; Frank Gunner; Darren Cuddihy; Mark Gunner (0-7); Jack Murphy; Harry O’Mahony; Sean Brennan (0-1); Paddy Mullan; Thomas Rice (0-3); Gary Dunne; Bill Murphy (1-2). Sub: Sean O’Dornan.
Tullogher Rosbercon: Eoin Kennedy; Conor Ryan; Terence Croke; Richie Aylward (0-1); Stephen Lawlor; Tarek O’Connor; Richard Gill; Peter Meggs; John Cotterell; Simon Kennedy (0-1); David Walsh (0-2); Luke Kennedy; Mickey Handrick; Frank Murphy (0-2); Brian Walsh (0-3). Subs: Darragh McGrath; James Murphy (0-1).
Referee: Gavin Quilty
JJ Kavanagh & Sons Junior F Hurling Championship
Dunnamaggin 1-12 Mullinavat 1-6
Dunnamaggin moved into an early lead in this keenly contested round two encounter on the 7th August last in a windy Dunnamaggin outscoring Mullinavat 4 points to 1 in the opening 10 mins. Mullinavat however levelled matters just before the water break when they worked the ball up for Johnny Fitz to score a goal from play. Dunnamaggin restarted well after the water break with points from Jason Doherty, Colin Fitzpatrick and Shaun O’Keeffe. Mullinavat got a score back before half time to send the sides in at half time Dunnamaggin 0-07 Mullinavat 1-2.
Mullinavat opened the scoring in the second half with a point but Jason Doherty was on the end of a lovely move forward to score a goal to extend the gap. Both sides traded scores but in the last quarter scores fell easier to Dunnamaggin and they progressed to the quarter finals.
Referee: Maurice Flynn
JJ Kavanagh & Sons Junior F Hurling Championship
Conahy Shamrocks 1-8 Glenmore 1-14
When the teams ended the first half of this Junior F championship tie level in the Polo Grounds, Jenkinstown on Sat. 7th August (Conahy Shamrocks 1-5 Glenmore 0-8), the home side appeared to be in a good position as they would have wind advantage in the second half. But, it turned out very differently after the interval with the winners dominating all over the field and their six point winning margin at the finish was a fair reflection on the game. Conahy coped well when playing against the breeze in the opening thirty minutes and had an early pointed free from Padraig Conway, but there was little between two evenly matched sides throughout the first half.
A Conahy goal on sixteen minutes from Martin Fitzpatrick was the result of some excellent play from the home side. Glenmore were always on their opponent’s coattails, mainly through pointed frees, the result of some careless tackling by Conahy players. Those pointed frees edged Glenmore ahead with a point from Martin Fitzpatrick narrowing the margin. Two further Glenmore points from play saw Conahy respond with a brace of their own from Paul Buggy frees to tie the game at the interval. The home side did have an excellent chance of a second goal close to half time, but the well-struck shot deflected off the Glenmore goalie.
The winners scored 1-3 without reply in the opening ten minutes of the second half with their smart use of the ball making life difficult for the home side. Conahy struggled for scores with a pointed free from Billy Mulhall their only flag of the third quarter. The home side’s attack saw plenty of the ball in the fourth quarter, but a strong Glenmore defence stood firm and impressively repelled the Conahy efforts. Conahy managed just one more point, another Billy Mulhall pointed free, in the fourth quarter, while Glenmore added two further points of their own from frees to emerge deserving winners.
The winners had a couple of excellent players with pace and skill and this was ultimately the crucial factor in the Southerners moving forward in the Junior F championship.
Conahy Shamrocks: Paul Buggy (0-2); Oisín Cahill; Thomas Nolan; Justin Brophy; Michael Bergin; John Brennan; Kieran Delaney; Tom O’Shea; Jack Dempsey; Padraig Conway (0-2); Martin Fitzpatrick (1-1); Conan Dunne; Paraic Nolan; Declan Buggy; Billy Mulhall (0-3). Subs – Daire Connery; Conor Watters; Conor Brennan; Adam Dempsey; Robbie Dooley; Paraic Walsh; Joseph Delaney.
Referee: Ger O’Grady
By John Power Mon 16th Aug
